Redemption., Cause being evil sucks. Options

[jack cloudy]

Ok, another start. I was going to hold off on this one for a few months but the point is, if I don't switch my focus around regularly, I'll go nuts. And letting it rot on my harddisk feels like a waste. I'm also a bit worried for spoilers regarding my other stories but hey, this might actually serve to keep my interest in other stories fresh. A spoiler here leads me to ask myself 'then how did it exactly happen?'.

So umm, yeah. Let's get going.

part 2

Redemption

Chapter 1: End of the wait.

Drip….drip…..drip. Cold water dripped down between the bars and along the rough stone. The crackle of thunder roared through the chamber, the flash of lightning erased the darkness for a brief moment.
,,Bloody bad weather today.” The Dunmer who inhabited the cell mumbled. He glanced at the cell opposite his and sneered. He then walked up to the bars and gripped them with his hands.
,,I said, bad weather today.” He repeated. For a few seconds, he waited. Then he scoffed and walked to the dirty rag that was his bed.
,,Not very talkative today, are we? Well, I envy you. All that water coming in through that peekhole. Fresh water! I haven’t had fresh water in months!” He spun around and faced the bars again.
,,In months, you hear me?! Then why don’t you take advantage of the circumstances and enjoy this luxury your cell provides but mine doesn’t?!”

The man in the other cell lay on his back in a corner of the cell, hands folded under his head, legs slightly spread, feet almost lying in the pool that spread on the floor. The window of his cell lay at the bottom of a slope, which allowed a steady stream of muddy water to enter. To any casual observer, it would seem that he was asleep, comfortable despite the Spartan conditions of his surroundings.
,,Don’t get over-excited. Water isn’t the most important thing in the world.” He replied softly without opening his eyes. The Dunmer grit his teeth.
,,You and your self-righteous proclaimants. Then what is the most important thing in the world, wiseguy? Well, out with it. Show us the great wisdom of the Altmer.” He spat.
,,That is a different thing for each individual. What is the most important thing for you?” The Altmer answered calmly.

The Dunmer kicked one of the walls in his cell.
,,Answering a question with a question of your own? Well then, listen carefully. I don’t know why but I’m just going to tell you! The most important thing for me is a woman! I haven’t had my fun with a woman in five years, I’m telling you. Five years! That’s horrible!” He said.
,,But at least I’ll be out of here soon. And when I do, I’m going to enjoy it all the way. I’ve always been popular with the ladies, unlike you. A different girl each night, and then some. Makes you jealous, doesn’t it?” He gloated. The Altmer shrugged, the only motion he’d made in the last two days.
,,I don’t see any need to be jealous.” He said.

The Dunmer cocked an eyebrow and stalked back to the bars.
,,No need? The Altmer says there is no need to be jealous! Oh, but now I remember. You don’t feel the need to be jealous because your blood is so pure and there is a lass waiting back home who was born just to suit you. Born just to suit you, all thanks to the breeding program you High Elves have. All thanks to your quest for purity.” He snickered and watched his fellow prisoner intently. If he’d been expecting a sign of anger or any other emotion, he would be disappointed.
,,Believe what you will.” Was all the Altmer said.

Thunder roared again. Then, silence, safe for the soft clatter of the rain. The Dunmer had returned to his bed and watched the dark sky outside his window.
,,Believe what you will. He’s got issues. I bet his mother always beat him whenever he had impure thoughts.” He muttered to himself hatefully. He then rose.
,,Believe what you will?” He repeated, louder this time.
,,Well, I know what I believe. I believe I’ll use the cache of money I’ve stored under the loose rock in the wall. I was going to save it for later, but this place and you have gotten on my nerves, so there. I’m going to have some fun in this place, even if it kills me!” He decided and pried loose the brick he’d mentioned.
,,Be carefull what you wish for.” The Altmer warned. The pool had now crept up to his bare toes, but he did not move them. Even though the water was near freezing, he did not seem to be bothered at all by it. Meanwhile, the Dunmer scooped up the coins he’d hidden and counted them. He chose to ignore the other.
,,Fifty-four Septims. That’s enough for the guards to buy themselves a couple of bottles.” He spoke, got up and raked one of the coins across the bars.

,,What are you making all that racket for, prisoner?!” A guard inquired in a gruff tone. He’d come to investigate the cause of the noise. The Dunmer looked the man up from head to toe.
,,Tell me, friend? Have you been doing well at your card-games?” He then chuckled. The Imperial’s brow furrowed.
,,None of your bussines, Dark Elf scum! Now keep it quiet down here!” He spat. He waved his arm across, pointing at the Altmer in the other cell.
,,Take an example from him. He’s been here since before I was born, and not even once did he cause trouble.” He added. The Dunmer smiled, revealing two incomplete rows of yellow-brownish teeth. Perhaps he’d once been popular with the ladies but in his current state, popularity would need some help.
,,Just as I thought. You’ve been losing badly, haven’t you? Well, I just happen to have the solution to that particular little problem of yours.” He whispered and flashed a coin. Instantly, the guard became twice as attentive.

,,How much do you have?” He asked in a coarse whisper of his own.
,,Twenty-seven in total.” The Dunmer lied. He then leaned in as close as he could without hitting the bars with his forehead. Thunder echoed through the prison complex.
,,Twenty-seven perfectly legitimate Septims. Twenty-seven shiny bits of gold and copper. They could be yours, so very easily….for a small favour, of course.” He offered. The guard licked his lips and let his eyes slip to the coins the Dunmer now held up in his hand, yet still out of his reach. He thought of going back to the barracks and taking the keys to the Dunmer’s cell, so he could take the money by force. But if he did that, his commander would have him fired and thrown into a cell instantly on the charge of accepting bribes. He would be better off listening to what the man had to offer.
,,I’m listening.”

The Dunmer leaned in even closer, resting his forehead against the bars.
,,Good, good. You see, I’m feeling rather…lonely. While he doesn’t cause any trouble, our friend over there is a poor conversationalist. A man of few words. So I was thinking, if you could help me out, perhaps provide me with….suitable company? I would be more than willing to help out a friend who is in need of a financial boost. Rub my back, rub yours?” He whispered. The guard looked into the crimson eyes of the prisoner, glanced at the Altmer, the coins and weighed the risk. If the Altmer talked, he would still be in trouble. But the gold-skinned fellow appeared to be sound asleep, impossible as it might sound with the thunder and lightning playing outside. The Imperial grinned, a greedy grin.
,,For a friend, why certainly. It would be a pleasure, no, an honour to help. In fact, I just seem to remember that prisonblock C is undergoing renovations. We need to relocate the current occupants. I was just wondering where to move some of them anyway. I’ll see if I can send over a…better conversationalist.” He said and held out his hand. The Dunmer grinned and handed over some of the coins.
,,Half now, half upon delivery.”

This post has been edited by jack cloudy: Mar 6 2012, 08:29 PM

[jack cloudy]

Well, it is odd but I do it practically all the time. I guess it has become second nature to me.

That said, I don't have any actual quests planned right now. Bruma probably won't feature, neither will Martin's escort to the priory and Cloud Ruler.

Oh, and one other thing I used the UESP for, is Latta's name. I liked the translation it gave. And yes, I just used the second part of her name as the shortened version. *not so subtle hint*

About the captain, it was the cargomaster who pulled the deal but he was indeed charmed with some good old mindtricks. 'These are not the droids you are looking for'. Oh, wait. Wrong story. Oops.

And one last thing, keep guessing at the Altmer, people.



Chapter 3.3


Cyrodiil, palace.

The Altmer examined his new garb for the last time as he leaned against the marble walls that encircled the palace. Admittedly, he could have simply maintained the illusion on his prison-outfit, but that would allow a margin of error he wasn’t going to risk. He could claim without any arrogance whatsoever that his skill at the art of deception was possibly among the greatest in the world, the source of legends. Yet, for all he was, he was not flawless. Wearing an actual outfit suited to the job was still preferable to an elaborate illusion.

He removed a loose thread and straightened out the last wrinkle when the sun burst over the walls. The Altmer took a deep breath and turned his eyes towards the golden doors of the palace. Now, the doors opened without the slightest sound and a dozen guards walked out, each wearing the stylized silver armour with the golden dragon-crest that was the mark of the palace-guard. The guards split up in pairs, moving out along the street. At regular intervals, one pair would stop and turn to face each other. They would raise their silver Claymores over the street as an arch. When the last pair had taken up position, the Altmer moved away from the wall.

An idle part of his mind observed the purely symbolic guards. They were no slouch in combat, certainly. In fact, they were rated amongs the greatest the continent had to offer. Their strength couldn’t be questioned either. They had trained years, just so they could stand perfectly still with their Claymores for six hours, not a simple feat. But still, their positioning was rather inefficient for a true guard. But that was why there were the normal guards patrolling the streets just beyond the ceremonial path. If there was trouble of sufficient magnitude to warrant their attention, a guard merely had to call and a dozen expertly skilled warriors would jump to his aid.

The Altmer remembered that the palace guards were Blades as well, high-ranking ones. The only reason why they weren’t wearing the lighter and more functional Blade armour was again symbolic. The perfectly polished plates reflected every last ray of sunlight, making the guards look less like mortal men and more like immortal dragons burning with devotion.

Just when the Altmer had begun to walk, a small group of pages dressed in white came out of the palace. Fear was evident on their face and in the way they had to force themselves not to run. As they hurried past him, the Altmer turned and began to follow. None of them noticed their party had gained a new member, so focussed were they on their task. The fact that he practically looked as if he was one of them helped. He had chosen his robe well.
,,Right on schedule.”

Lake Rumare

I dangled a toe in the water. Now that the sun was shining, albeit it still hung pretty low in the sky, the water had heated up considerably. It was almost comfortable now. Delmar stopped rowing and pulled the oars back into the boat. He then took the fishingrod and pierced a worm on the hook.
,,Alright, here we are. Now let’s go fishing. Keep an eye out for Slaughterfish.” He said. I carefully got up and rolled over the edge into the water. The boat barely rolled when I shifted my weight.

The water flooding into my nose was cold and I sneezed, which made a few bubbles shoot out of my nostrils.
,,Brrr…still cold.” I said when I resurfaced. Delmar had dropped his rod and leaned over the edge of the boat.
,,Just what are you doing?! You jumped in? I thought when you talked about using your hands you were going to grab any passing fish while sitting in the boat.” He stammered. I shrugged.
,,I’m used to swimming.” I answered.

Delmar picked up his rod again with a sigh.
,,But wasn’t the whole reason you sneaked into my home because you wanted to get dry?” He asked. Oops, should have remembered that. Well, too late now.
,,Sorry.” I whispered. The old guy shook his head and leaned back.
,,Oh, whatever. It is not as if I need the blankets myself. Just don’t go too far and stay away from the Slaughterfish. Those scaly bastards are really something.” He warned me. I waved and dove underwater.

I was about halfway to the bottom when instinct kicked in and I began to alter the water around me, splitting it into water and air. The air I would breathe while the water I spit out.
,,Ok, I can stay underwater for half an hour. Let’s see. Where is a nice fish? I need a big one, for myself. I can’t fish till I’ve taken care of this.” I thought and began to swim around in circles, using both legs and arms to push myself forward at a decent clip.

The water was crystal-clear and I would have been able to see all the way to the other side, if my vision wasn’t so blurry underwater. My eyesight was still good enough to see a vague bronze shape hiding among some weeds, though. Curious, I turned towards it and sped up. It too turned and sped up as well, incredibly so. From near motionless, it had gone to match my speed, and then even triple it! All in less than a heartbeat. I could see it open its maw and reveal a set of really long teeth.
,,Stay away from the Slaughterfish.” So this was a Slaughterfish? It looked worthy of its name. All muscle and teeth, and quick to boot. I knew I should turn away and get back to the boat or at least hide in the nearest patch of weeds, but I didn’t.

Instead, I kicked out with a foot and stopped. I couldn’t practically outrun it and at the distance it was, it would get to me in about five seconds, far too short for me to find a place to hide. There was no thinking going on in my mind, no feelings of panic or even a slight hint of apprehension. Instead, I felt…..hungry. And the hunger made me stop and wait for it.

Just as it was about to reach me, the Slaughterfish slowed down and shook its head from side to side in confusion. My body reacted naturally and pounced. One hand tightened around its tail, the other clamped that ugly maw shut. I gouged out its eyes with my fingers in the process. This wasn’t fishing anymore. This was simply about devouring or being devoured. In this case, I was the one who did the devouring, biting where its heart had to be. I gobbled a lump my mouth could barely hold and swallowed the whole thing without chewing, scales, bones, blood, half a heart and even a lot of water.

After that first bite, the fish died nearly instantaneously and I came back to my senses. A feeling of revulsion was the first I got, next was the more sober thought that I should swim somewhere else. With all the blood the Slaughterfish was leaking, I wouldn’t be surprised if another would come looking for an easy meal. I swam away and settled down behind a rock. My memories of what had just happened were rather blurry, but I still understood most of it. I’d gone too long without a real meal, and I had just felt the consequences. The rat I caught in the cell hadn’t been much. It had nearly been as starved as I’d been. I felt better now, though.

I looked at my hand, which seemed transparent. It was the reason why the Slaughterfish had gotten confused and slowed down enough for me to grab it. It was interesting, and scary, how much instinct could control my actions. I thought of taking on my natural colour again as a form of defiance but after a second I changed my decision. If my camouflage was good enough to fool one of those monsters up close, it was good enough to keep them hunting me in the first place. I blew out a few bubbles and left the rock. Finding some smaller fish to drop off at the boat was what I wanted to do right now. Preferably ones without any teeth.

This post has been edited by jack cloudy: Dec 30 2012, 10:26 PM